DSLContext references a org.jooq.Configuration, an object that configures jOOQ's behaviour when executing queries (see SQL execution for more details). Unlike the static DSL, the DSLContext allow for creating SQL statements that are already "configured" and ready for execution.

java.sql.Connection : An optional JDBC Connection that will be re-used for the whole lifecycle of your Configuration (see Connection vs. DataSource for more details). For simplicity, this is the use-case referenced from this manual, most of the time.

java.sql.DataSource : An optional JDBC DataSource that will be re-used for the whole lifecycle of your Configuration. If you prefer using DataSources over Connections, jOOQ will internally fetch new Connections from your DataSource, conveniently closing them again after query execution. This is particularly useful in J2EE or Spring contexts (see Connection vs. DataSource for more details)

org.jooq.ConnectionProvider : A custom abstraction that is used by jOOQ to "acquire" and "release" connections. jOOQ will internally "acquire" new Connections from your ConnectionProvider, conveniently "releasing" them again after query execution. (see Connection vs. DataSource for more details)

Wrapping a Configuration object, a DSLContext can construct statements, for later execution. An example is given here:

// The DSLContext is "configured" with a Connection and a SQLDialect
DSLContext create = DSL.using(connection, dialect);
// This select statement contains an internal reference to the DSLContext's Configuration:
Select<?> select = create.selectOne();
// Using the internally referenced Configuration, the select statement can now be executed:
Result<?> result = select.fetch();

Note that you do not need to keep a reference to a DSLContext. You may as well inline your local variable, and fluently execute a SQL statement as such: